Half-Arsed History

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the Ball of the Burning Men, a wedding celebration at which the reigning French king, Charles the Mad, was almost burnt to a crisp. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affili...

In this week's episode, learn the incredible story of Alan Turing - a man who not only laid the foundations of modern computer science, but also had an immense impact on the Second World War due to his work in deciphering the Enigma code. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Ze...

This week's monument is Kinkaku-ji, also known as Rokuon-ji, a Buddhist temple in the Japanese city of Kyoto, famous for the fact that much of its exterior is completely covered in gold. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the time Mark Thatcher, the son of a sitting UK prime minister, decided he wanted to be a racecar driver and got stranded in the middle of the Sahara Desert. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia...

In this week's episode, get to know Christina of Sweden, the keenly intelligent and fiercely independent queen of Sweden, who is remembered today for her passion of learning and knowledge. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia o...

This week's monument is the Great Mosque of Djenné, found in Mali, which to this day remains the largest mud brick building on the planet. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://bookto...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the tale of Legio IX Hispana, also know as the Lost Legion, an ancient Roman military unit that one day just disappeared from recorded history. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: A...

In this week's episode, discover the story of one of the greatest Roman emperors ever to have lived: Trajan, who brought the empire to its largest territorial extent in 117 CE. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings:...

This week's monument is Himeji Castle, a complex in Japan that is perhaps the finest and most magnificent example of Japanese castle-building. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://bo...

Quarter Arsed History presents: a brief history of the State of Origin, an very popular rugby league series that sees representatives from Queensland and New South Wales face off every year. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia...

In this week's episode, learn all about Oscar Wilde, the famous Anglo-Irish playwright who is still remembered for his dazzling wit, and hear the tragic tale of his downfall due to the harsh social attitudes of the time. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-...

This week's monument is the Moai, huge monolithic statues carved from volcanic rock and transported all across Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in the remote south Pacific Ocean. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the Nottingham Cheese Riot of 1766, when the English town of Nottingham was thrown into civil unrest due to... well, as you probably guessed, cheese. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readi...

In this week's episode, listen to the tale of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, when actor John Wilkes Booth shot the sitting US president in Ford's Theatre. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliat...

This week's monument is the Alhambra, a mediaeval hilltop citadel overlooking the Spanish city of Granada, that is one of the finest examples of Islamic architecture in the entire world. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: Ten Cent Beer Night, a baseball game at which beer was sold at ten cents a cup, leading to streakers, missiles pelting the players on the field, and eventually a full-blown riot. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your...

In this week's episode, conclude an overview of US history with the last of a four-part series, this week getting across the radical changes that took place in post-war USA, with things like the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, the War on Terror, and more.  The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the A...

This week's monument is the Louvre Palace, a building in Paris, France that is today home to what is today the world's most famous art museum, but used to be a royal residence for French kings. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Bookto...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the Harlem Hellfighters, the nickname given to the US 369th Infantry Regiment, a unit of mostly African-American soldiers sent over to Europe to fight in the First World War. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your cop...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, get stuck into the third of four episodes covering the history of the United States of America, this time covering the Reconstruction and Progressive Eras, the World Wars, Great Depression, and New Deal. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa Ne...

This week's monument is Notre-Dame de Paris, one of the most famous Gothic-style cathedrals on the face of the planet. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/bkq2G...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the story of Ea-Nasir, a copper merchant whose reputation as a shonky businessman has lasted almost 3,800 years. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://...

In this episode of Half-Arsed History, continue an overview of US history, focussing on the first half of the 19th century: foreign policy, westward expansion, slavery, and the American Civil War. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Boo...

This week's monument is Angkor Wat, an enormous Buddhist temple complex found in Cambodia that is said to be the largest religious structure in the world. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate link)...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the day John Sattler broke his jaw, when during the 1970 NSWRFL grand final, the South Sydney played through the entire match even after having his jaw broken in three places. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your co...